The districts hero
by TheWelshGamer
Summary: The story of a millionaire teen who is thrown into a world where he has to live in the infamous 'District 9' after finding out about his brothers recent employer and saving the life of one alien.


_**A stranger's return**_

It was pouring down hard, like tiny needles piercing my red cheeks and pale face, making me blink uncontrollably trying to keep the rain out of them, but that was only making it harder for me to see. The only colours I could see were red and blue flashing on the graffitied brick walls, and illuminating the light fog either side of me while I hear the shout of a squad of men, with strong African accents behind me. I see a broken glass window leading into an abandoned building.

'It could be a good place to stay hidden, even if it only provides me a few minutes to catch my breath.' I thought quickly. Not having many options left, I made my way swiftly through the window. My backpack first then myself, squeezing through the gap between the two wooden planks nailed to the window frame. I held my breath as I hide behind the wall just below the window. I heard their footsteps and ragged breaths as they went sprinting past, until the sound of danger slowly faded into the darkness, and then I released a deep sigh mixed with a few raspy coughs and wheezing noises. For a while I relaxed and caught my breath for those few precious minutes. I started to think back to the beginning of this day, and thought about how I got myself into this mess in the first place.

It was a boiling afternoon, but the heat barely affected me. The heat never seemed to have an overpowering effect on me, which is more than can be said about the rest of the household. My mother would be under a sun umbrella next to the pool, being served with smoothies made with fruits freshly picked this morning. My father spent his day off watching the news surrounded with multiple fans complaining about the 'immigrants' and other political crap. I made it clear that I didn't like it when he tries to talk to me about it, or even discuss it in my presence. But that never stops him from filling my ears with his greed and fear generated bullshit, so I try to keep my distance so to avoid the aggravation. But on this particular day I was lightly stepping through the hall with its bleached white walls, making my way to the fridge to grab some fruit to make a smoothie. But before I could pull the tab back all the way, I heard a knocking on the door and before the butler Albert could answer the door I walked down the hallway curious to see who it was. But when I opened the door my jaw dropped and I was suddenly filled with glee to find that my brother, after all these long years of vanishing, after having our last proper talk on the roof of Tyrone's work shop. He was wearing combat trousers the colour of sand, boots and a default grey shirt under a denim jacket, his dog tags dangling down his neck shimmering slightly in the sun light. I stared out the door with a smile starting to creep on my face.

"Ho-ly shit mate, about time you ended that vanishing act." I joked leaning my shoulder on the door frame arms crossed. My brother allowed himself a snigger before replying with.

"shwmae little brother, gee you couldn't get any taller could you?" my brother smirked while rubbing my dirty blond hair with his large but abnormally rough hand.

"Ye about time I finally caught up to you" I said brushing my brother's hand away. I looked towards my brother's neck following the two bundles of chord until my eyes came into contact with two pairs of dog tags. "Hey, what's with the dog tags you joined the army or something?" I said with a half-smile with that worried feeling that he's done just that.

"Oh ye uh… about tha-" Alex began, but was cut off by the sound of a half crying and half laughing mother, throwing her arms around her eldest son in joy.

"Mother, its ok, I'm back now… for good." His reassurance calmed mum down a little, and she started to turn her sobbing into silent crying with heavy breathing. I could feel a gust of air, as my father rushed past me to my brother's side. They both clung to him, hoping to never lose him again. But I never needed to, I always had confidence that he wouldn't leave us. Honestly I can't see my life without him.

"Are we going to stay out here all day?" I began. "Or are we going to celebrate before you suffocate the poor bugger to death?" I announce to the pair of teary adults. They agreed to my proposal and began making a list of what they thought they needed.

"Cheers for that." Alex thanked me, just about catching his breath. "They have a tight grip when their emotional."

"Ha, ye." I said looking at the tags again before looking back up at his face. "Now come on we have a party to prepare." I step aside to let him through, but when he nods and passes me, my expression changes from a joyful one to a concerned one. I couldn't stop thinking about his uniform and the dog tags, it just screams where he's been these past 4 years. But I just need him to confirm it and if it's true, I hope he doesn't go back in the field again.

The table was laid out and we were surrounded by balloons of all colours, and of course my mother made the dinner considering she is a well renowned chef, and Albert served the plates. Food smothered the entire table with pork scratching's, salad, lasagne, pigs in blankets and all the sauces you could think of. 'This could last us for weeks' I thought to myself overjoyed with the quantity, and also the quality of the food. My mother was always like this though; completely overprotective and caring, wanting to shield us from the outside world. She hated us going out into the town always afraid we would get hurt, but that didn't stop us from roaming through the streets of Johannesburg at night, that way she couldn't worry and we had some freedom. We stayed together when we went out, it was safer that way, but we would always run, climb and occasionally… fight. Hell, he was the only reason I can defend myself, he taught me how to fight, how to disarm and how to flee. The only thing I was naturally good at was my sharp eyes at the archery range, could hit multiple targets at the speed of 10 arrows every half a minute with great accuracy. But back at the large designer table with the mouth-watering food covering the red placemats, we begin to dish out our dinners and eat while our father started a conversation with Alex.

"So Alex" My father began "where have you been, what have you been doing while you've been… away?" Alex placed his utensils on either side of his plate. I could feel the eagerness grow, it only became stronger when he started talking.

"I… uh… I joined the military." There was silence. Both our parents were baffled and stunned by what they had heard, ever since he was young he would make it a point to let people know about his opinions about the military, and MNU for a matter of fact, and they weren't the nice kind of things either. I guess they didn't notice the dog tags like I did. They were probably just so excited and joyful that their son had returned that they forgot about all the bad things in the world and didn't notice them.

"But you're finished with that now… right?" my mother practically begged with her tone.

"I… I haven't finished my duties quite yet… because…" this time Alex made an anxious look at me, I just looked at him with confusion on my face. He quickly turned back to his plate as he spoke almost like a whisper. "Because MNU have employed me…" but now he raised his head with his chin up. "to keep the prawns in their place." He took another look at me; I could only feel shock and the growing heat on my cheeks as I slowly took it all in, my world felt as if it had shattered like glass. I couldn't understand, 'why? Why did he do this? He hates them just as much as me, right?' All these questions whizzing around my head until I quickly rose to my feet making the chair fall behind me, while giving my brother a look that could kill.

"We need to talk… Now!" There was silence and everyone stared at me shocked at my sudden outburst. Alex released a deep sigh, complied and followed me out of the room into the hallway away from the ears of our parents.

"Look Eric I…" Alex began trying to get the first word in but I cut him off half way through his sentence.

"Don't give me that "look Eric" cachu tarw! Why did you join them? They paying good cash to beat the helpless?" I spoke loudly while also trying to make sure our parents didn't hear.

"Eric! For fuck sake let me speak!" He spoke with an elevated voice.

"Ok then, I'm all ears!" I retorted waiting for a reply. Alex stood there looking round the room struggling to invent some lie, until he finally closed his eyes and released a quick sigh before replying with.

"I… I… can't tell you, it would just put you all in danger!" half way through, I shook my head turning round not knowing why I was surprised.

"Us!? Danger!? What next we going to find out the presidents got you in his black list." Not wanting to hear any more of this, I turned and walked to my room close by, slamming the door behind me.

I swung my bag on my bed and started to pack it with essentials like some clothes, a lighter, a ball of fishing line, a large bag of pine resin, my fletching tools, a small med kit I keep under my bed, my phone, a Taser, and a thin blanket. I put my knife on my belt and put on my black hoodie concealing my knife under it. I then swung the bag over my shoulder and grabbed some cash from a draw in my desk and put it in my side leg pocket. I presumed to climb out of the window and run through the streets until I reached the centre of town, a place which was quiet at night and I could think without any distractions, but by then my clothes became soggy from a rare heavy downpour, very much like the ones back In Wales. I roamed the streets for a few hours passing by the occasional tramp and stepping over broken glass bottles, before I heard the roar of an engine behind me. I've heard that engine before, it sounds the same as my father's black Mercedes, I expected my father to come and have a go at me for the way I acted. But instead I heard my brother's voice calling behind me.

"Eric! Eric stop!" 'Here we go.' I thought feeling irritated. I slowed my walk until I came to a stop but didn't turn around. "Look Eric I know you're pissed…"

"Oh, I wonder why!" I raised my voice with a sarcastic expression. "My brother disappears out of the blue and no one sees a peep of you till this morning. Do you know how long you were gone for?"

"Shit, Eric I know I mess…"

"FOUR FUCKING YEARS ALEX! FOUR!" I screamed at him, vigorously shaking four raised fingers at him. "And then you show up out of the blue, actually no I don't care about that. All I care about is the fact you joined the biggest jerk circle of WANKERS this planet has had the displeasure of being INHABITED BY!"

"You know what FUCK this, and FUCK! YOU! I and everyone else in that house is getting tired of your little hate fest for MNU. I'm going home, and if you're not back by tomorrow morning I swear to god if these streets don't kill you! I WILL!" Alex barked back before returning to father's car, driving off into the distance. I hang my head low and give out a deep sigh before whispering under my breath.

"Fuck sake."

I continued walking on the sidewalk for what seemed like an eternity, thinking perhaps I had gone a too far with the way I reacted. 'I let my anger get the best of me every bloody time' I thought to myself instantly regretting the recent exchange. 'Maybe I should have handled that better… God I don't understand why, he didn't even given an explanation… Shit!' from the stress I started squeezing the bridge of my nose pondering with the thought. But I was snapped out of my trance by a peculiar sound, the sound of metal crashing down on something and strange grunts of pain that didn't sound human. It was coming from the ally just to the left of me, and suddenly I hear the shouting of a man, and more cries of pain follow. I instinctively ran into the ally to rush to the victim's aid, but when I caught sight of the victim I stopped in my tracks, shocked to find a Non-human laying on the floor bloodied, its grasshopper like legs scrambling to its feet trying to get away only to be tripped up again and attacked again by the man in the red hoodie. The sight boiled my blood and shouted. "Hey! Leave him alone!" the two of them stopped and stared at me with confused, and for the man, irritated expressions, or at least what looks confused by the alien's odd expression.

"oi! Kid! Fock off before I put a bullet in you!" The hooded man called back before returning to beating the helpless Non-human. He expected the threat to make me cower in fear, but instead I only walked closer to the man with light, swift steps. And before I knew it I got closer to the man, closer and closer until I could breathe down his neck. I placed my hand firmly on his left shoulder and said.

"I suggest you put that down before I…" but half way through my sentence he quickly spun round and put a gun to my head, I instinctively put my hands up. The man, in the most intimidating tone he could say said.

"You got a death wish kid!?" I gave no reply and this only seemed to anger the hooded man. I could clearly see now that this man belonged to a gang because of the tattoo on his right cheek, though I couldn't tell which gang because it was hidden well in the dark under his hood. The man seemed to be enjoying the fear I was emitting. This isn't the first gun pulled on me, but then again this is my first time looking into the barrel. It was strange, almost like looking into the abyss. Now the gang member was growing more inpatient and started shaking the gun in my face some more. "You go'in to say something prick...? Well!" I could feel my hands shaking from the adrenalin and fear. I looked over to the alien lying on its side looking at me, with disbelief I think but also, with hope. That was something I was certain of, and I felt even more compelled to save him now more than ever. "Hey! Look at me! Not that thing!" the gangsters words sparked my anger once again. Nothing pissed me off more than someone calling a living person a thing. I turned my head to him and softly said.

"You have my full attention." With two quick motions I have his hand holding the gun above his head, tightly griping his wrist and then thrust my fist into his gut. I could feel his body stiffen from the pain, but I then heard the clang of metal falling to the floor. I look down to find that the man has both dropped the gun and the iron pipe he was using to beat the alien with before. I was confused for a moment. 'Why did he drop his gun?' I turned to look at the man but he had his mouth gaping open. This puzzled me even more, that is before I felt the warm liquid dripping down my fist. That sent a chill down my spine. I didn't want to look down but I had to, I had to be sure. So my head slowly lowered until it was clearly in my vision. I thrust my knife into this man's stomach, the blood worming its way past the blade, pouring down his blood stained hoodie. I didn't even realise I pulled my knife out. I looked back up at the gangster and he died there, in my arms… Bled to death and I didn't even notice. I pulled the blade out of him and push the corpse away from me, backing up until my back reached a wall. Eyes widened just staring at the body. I could hear the blood pumping through my head. I didn't know what to think, I killed a man and now I had blood on my hands literally and metaphorically. Once again I turned my attention to the Non-human to my side and it looked just as shocked as me, but he became more relived when I asked him about his condition.

"Y…you ok?" I asked with a shaky voice. He stared at me for a few second before quickly nodding but he stayed quiet and also moved too, backing into the rays of a light from a wall lamp. I could see all of the aliens features that I couldn't before, like his dark crimson carapace armour with golden like highlights around the bottom half of each shell, the eyes an envious green. There was a moment of silence as we looked upon each other and I started to study his anatomy, from his grasshopper legs that I noticed earlier, to the aliens' antennas that were hanging down lower than it looked like it should be. But I was kicked out of my trance by sirens and a car pulling up. I quickly spun round and found myself face to face with a police officer who at the time had gotten out of the vehicle and had his hand on his gun. I turned to look at the alien but he had disappeared, probably ran as soon as he saw the cop, probably fearing for his life. Can't say I blame him considering what he's just been through just now, but I can't help but feel a little betrayed by the victim's abandonment. "Gee, thanks mate." I quietly huffed to myself. I looked back at the officer but this time he was pulling his gun out, so at that moment instinct took over and I ran deeper into the ally, round the corner out of sight, beginning the chase.


End file.
